


Couple

by mooningsammy



Category: Supernatural
Genre: And a waitress, M/M, Rated for strong language, some pining!Dean, some pining!Sam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-06 13:44:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14058225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mooningsammy/pseuds/mooningsammy
Summary: Dean and Sam go out to eat after a job. A waitress at the Roadhouse gives Dean a different kind of compliment than what he's used to.





	Couple

**Author's Note:**

> If you can come up with a better title for this, I will dedicate my next work to you.

“You two make a cute couple, you know.”

Dean froze, he had just sat down at a table in the closest roadhouse to their motel, Sam had gone to the bathroom after tossing his bag in the booth.

“We do?” He asked, and then wondered why the heck he didn't say Sam was his brother right there and then.

The waitress smiled, all blue eyes and red hair, pretty but not even flirting with him. “I've seen my fair share of couples in here, but I've never seen two people who looked more devoted to each other than you.”

 _Devoted_?

Ah hell.

“He really looks at you like you're his entire world. I wish my boyfriend looked at me like that.”

Dean couldn't help it. “Really? I've never… never noticed.”

She smiled and took their orders. “How did you meet?”

Dean chuckled. “We uh, we work together. Travel a lot, so there’s never really anyone else around.”

The girl came back with their drinks. Sam had come back for a moment, but got a phone call and went outside to answer it.

“So, can I ask you something?” She slid into the booth across from him and he couldn't help but smile.

“Sure, Connie.”

“When did you know you were in love with him?” She had this hopeful look in her eyes, like maybe his story will help her in some way, though he couldn't possibly think of _why_.

“I… I think maybe I always was, at least for a long time… But I didn't know it, not until we… we weren't together for four years, didn't see each other at all for two of them. I was in a downward spiral and when I found him, it took awhile, but he's still here so I can't complain, you know? We haven't really talked about it, and I wonder if he even has any idea how I feel…”

She smiled at him, and he might have imagined the wetness to her eyes. “Thank you, Dean. Food will be out in ten.”

She wasn't gone very long when Sam slid into the booth across from him with a dumb smile on his face, and he took a drag from his beer.

“What?” Dean asked.

“Nothing,” Sam said, still grinning.

“Sam, don't you-

“Relax, Dean, jeez. I just talked to Jess on the phone and she said to tell you happy birthday for her.”

Dean frowned. “It's my birthday?”

Sam raised an eyebrow at him. “Uh, yeah dude. Do you ever look at calendars?”

“Not really…”

When Connie came back with their food, Sam grinned at her and ordered two slices of apple pie, winked at her, and dug into his food.

Dean was starting to feel like he had missed something.

Connie came back with one slice of pie. “Sorry, boys. Only one piece left, but I brought two forks and you'll just have to share.”

Dean looked at Sam but Sam was unfazed, so he shrugged and gave her a smile. “Thanks.”

X

Sam wanted to hear him say it again, wondered how long it would take for Dean to crack, and was glad Connie hadn't given him away when he walked in during their conversation.

But Sam was curious, had he made all that up because most people assumed they were dating anyway, or was he being serious, and answering her questions honestly?

“Earth to Sam. Hello? Are you going to eat your half, because you might want to before I get tired of waiting.”

Fuck it, Dean was even willing to share pie with him, there had to be _some_ truth to what he had said.

“Hell yeah I'm going to eat it.”

They ended up arm wrestling for the last bite and when Sam won, Dean pouted, and Sam decided he didn't like that look.

“I don't want it anyway, go ahead.”

It was good pie and he did want it, but pie was Dean’s favorite thing in the universe and it was his birthday.

Dean wasn't one to shoot a gift horse in the mouth, so he tossed Sam one glance and took the last bite with a nod.

Sam went back to the roadhouse on his own that evening, smiling at Connie from his seat at the bar.

“Well, you heard his side. What's yours?” Connie asked when she got to him.

Sam laughed, biting his lip. “I've basically always loved Dean, just that the way I love him has changed. Since we were always close, the idea scared me, that was why I left. That and I guess I never expected he could feel the same way.”

He looked up at her again, smiling at the way her face was lit up, downing the rest of his beer and standing up. “Which reminds me, I should get back. Thanks for today.”

Connie nodded and took the money he held out, but when she came back with his change, he was gone.

When Sam walked into the motel room, Dean was sprawled across a bed, watching one of the Indiana Jones movies on the little TV.

“You want your gift, right?” He asked, throwing clothes out of his bag onto the second bed for when he got out of the shower.

Dean looked up at him. “You got me something?”

Sam shrugged. “Well, I didn't spend any money, ‘cause we’re almost out. But there is something for you and it's in your car.” He headed into the bathroom, leaving his clothes on the bed for when he came out.

X

Dean scrambled out of bed once Sam had turned the shower on, taking the keys and heading to the Impala.

He searched the car, curious, finally coming across a stack of envelopes with dates and stamps but that had never sent.

He knew, because they were addressed to him.

Four years worth of letters, letters Sam had written to him while he was at Stanford but hadn't sent. Dean concluded that Sam had no intention of sending them, even if they were stamped, since none of them had an address on them.

If Sam wanted to send them, he could have sent them in care of Bobby. Dean would have gotten a few at a time, it wasn't like he never _saw_ Bobby.

So he hunkered down in the backseat of the car and set about opening the earliest letter from the bundle.

**_August 16_ **

_Dean,_

_I miss you._

_I wish I could tell you how hard it is to be away from you; I feel like my heart’s been ripped out of my chest._

_You do that to me._

_I'm still on the bus to Palo Alto… It has barely been an hour and I already had an old lady ask me if somebody died._  

_It feels like I am, if only I could tell you why._

_I'm so sorry._

_Yours,_

_Sam._

Dean sat there, stunned. “Sammy… what…”

**_August 20_ **

_Dean,_

_I keep thinking you're going to get killed and I'm not going to know about it for a long time._

_Please be careful._

_You're probably thinking that I'm having the time of my life, that at least I'm finally where I want to be, that I was meant to be here where it's normal._

_No._

_This is the worst time of my life, I don't want to be here, and I'm not meant to be normal._

_Because there's no you. You aren't here, and frankly, it sucks._

_To you, it seems like I have everything. I know it does, because I've talked about this for years. Except,_ _you_ _are everything._

_Yours,_

_Sammy_

Well, things changed, right? He finally got used to being away from Dean, it was probably normal to feel that way when you've gone to school and left everything you ever knew… Right?

**_October 4_ **

_Dean,_

_I had a dream that you were mauled by a fucking werewolf and if I find out that you're fucking dead, I will march to fucking hell and kill you again._

_Please be okay._

_I thought maybe I would worry less if I didn't know what you were doing 24/7…_

_I think I worry more now than fucking ever._

_Just saying, try not to get drunk_ _before_ _you hunt, you'll just get yourself killed._

_How's dad?_

_Whether we get along or not, I still care._

_It's funny, my psych class has helped me understand him a little more._

_I still think he's too rash and absent, but it's a little too late for him to make up for it._

_You deserved more than this, Dean. More than taking care of me just to have me ditch you when I could. I know that's how it felt, but I didn't_ _want_ _to leave._

_You shouldn't have had to grow up so young to take care of me. But you did it, and you'll never understand how much I appreciate you._

_You would tell me to shut up if I said it out loud anyway, probably._

_You always do._

_Yours,_

_Sam._

Dean rolled his eyes. “Sap,” he muttered, even though a little smile just wouldn’t leave his face.

**_December 24_ **

_Dean,_

_You called earlier, which was great. But usually I don't answer when you call, and I hate that, I really do. It's just so hard to talk to you when I can't see you._

_I did this time. I know Christmas is hard for you, and I wish I knew mom to miss her the way you do, so I would understand._

_I needed to hear your voice, too._

_It isn't school that's hard, really. College is mostly simple for me, but what's hard is fighting with myself every day about packing and coming to find you._

_It would just defeat the purpose of leaving in the first place._

_And dad told me not to come back, even if you just told me it was okay, that he's not around much anyway._

_I'm not the soldier he wants me to be. Mostly, I'm just a loser who can't even think of his brother right._

_Yours,_

_Sam_

Huh?

Dean rubbed his eyes, wondering what the time was and thinking Sam was probably out of the shower by now.

When he actually looked atthe time, he frowned, because how could an hour have passed already? He wasn't a slow reader, honestly.

**_February 13_ **

_Dean,_

_I am so going to get wasted tomorrow, because you can't stop me, and I hate Valentine's Day with a fucking passion._  

_I'll probably end up writing a stupid letter explaining everything and watch me accidentally fucking send it because I liked the idea at the time._

_I'll hide all the paper from myself first._

_Yours,_

_Sam_

**_April 30_ **

_Dean,_

_I forgot to tell you about my job, which will pay more once they realize I'm not going anywhere over the summer. I'll probably have enough to get the apartment I want in about a month, which is good, because my roommate is sick of my nightmares._

_I don't blame him, so am I._

_If you were here, I wouldn't get them as much._

_My grades are good, if you were wondering, and it's starting to hurt less being away from you. That, or I'm just getting used to it._

_I still struggle not to puke every time I eat but hey, I can listen to Zeppelin without having a nervous breakdown now._

_Yours,_

_Sam_

**_May 2_ **

_Dean,_

_Thank you._

_You called today, interrupted a really fucking awful date that a friend set up for me, and proceeded to tell me that you fucking missed me and you had a six pack to celebrate._

_I'm not being sarcastic, really,_ _thank you,_ _because I was starting to think I really fucking sucked._

_Her name was Jess, and she had the same fucking green eyes as you, and I couldn't stop thinking about you. And she was sweet, but I'm not interested. I'm really not._

_I hope you don't take this the wrong way, the problem wasn't that she reminded me of you. It was that she reminded me of you._

_Hold on, that doesn't make any sense. And frankly, you probably don't want to know._

_Yours,_

_Sam._

**_October 31_ **

_Dean,_

_I really hate Halloween._

_Hate it._

_Thank god for my training, I actually got to put it to use today. There was a werewolf just off campus._

_Don't worry, I only got a little beat up._

_Anyway, I got that apartment I told you about, and Jess moved in with me. It's a nice place, and I've been working on keeping up my training so that I'm not out of practice._

_She saw one of my knives when she barged in to ask about dinner, so I had to explain that our family specializes in weapon use._

_She shrugged and asked if I would show her how to use a handgun._

_Hey, at least she'll be a little more capable than some girls._

_I'm not dating her, but she has become my best friend and she knows why I left home._

_Home being the Impala’s passenger seat._

_I was surprised that she caught on, and even more surprised that she didn't look at me with disgust when she figured it out._

_Thank god for this girl._

_Yours,_

_Sam._

Dean chewed on his lip and thought about calling Jess, but figured maybe Sam would finally explain in the later letters, so he soldiered on.

**_January 24_ **

_Dean,_

_I want to call you, but we had an argument last time we talked and I don't want to make you angry again, so I'm not._

_I always say the wrong things even though I know I shouldn't._

_Fuck it._

_I miss you, man. And it seemed like everywhere I turned today, you were there. It’s a wonder I didn't have a nervous breakdown when Jess and I went to the bar for lunch this afternoon. I could have sworn you were sitting at the counter when I got up to go to the bathroom, but you were gone when I came out and I chalked it up to being a hallucination._

_Which is never good knowing what I know, but I can't do much about it._

_Jess keeps asking me what's wrong, and I finally explained that it is your birthday to her, that we aren't on speaking terms._

_I hope your day doesn't suck, because mine did._

_Most days do._

_Love,_

_Sam_

Dean remembered that fight, it was around the time of their mom’s death. He had called to tell Sam about Bobby saying he got his letter and that he wanted Sam to know he wasn't a loser. Sam had asked if Bobby told Dean what was in the letter, relieved when he hadn't. So Dean asked what letter he was talking about and Sam snapped that it was none of his business.

Dean’s temper always did get the best of him, and he snapped at Sam and it was a mess.

Dean still felt bad about that fight, because it was the last time they talked until Dean showed up to ask for his help.

He also remembered that birthday, because he _was_ at that bar and when he saw Sam there with some girl, he got jealous and fled so Sam didn't see him drowning his sorrows so close to his school.

Hell, if only he had just _talked_ to his brother.

**_March 26_ **

_Dean,_

_I still miss you._

_It still hurts every day, like there's a concrete slab pressing down on my chest, and it never ceases._

_I know I shouldn't feel like this, that if I wasn't so fucked up, it wouldn't hurt half as much because you would just be my brother._

_Not my everything. And I've said that before._

_I'm sorry I couldn't be fucking normal, Dean._

_Love,_

_Sam._

**_May 3_ **

_Dean,_

_Yesterday was fine, mostly I was drunk, but hey, Jess dragged my ass back home, so at least she was looking out for me._

_I thought I saw you at the bar again, I'm pretty sure that's why I decided to get shitfaced, I thought you would disappear. But the more I drank, the more it looked like you._

_It wasn't you, as it turned out, but he fucked me in the bathroom, so that's a plus._

Dean coughed at that part. He _what_?

_Jess made me go get tested because we didn't even know if the guy was clean and I don't remember if he used a condom, but no worries, I don't have an std._

_What I do have is a shitload of self-loathing, because I_ _wish_ _it was you._

_Yours,_

_Sammy_

“Fuck,” Dean grumbled, looking around to make sure he was alone.

**_June 29_ **

_Dean,_

_I saw the Impala this afternoon. I pretended like I didn't, even though I recognized the plates._

_How many times have you come through since we stopped talking on the phone?_

_It made my day, you know. I was having a bad day for the most part. A lot of people are talking about that string of murders in Santa Barbara._

_That's where you're headed, isn't it? It's a witch. I did the research. Maybe I'll call and tell you._

_Anyway, I guess I wanted to say thanks for checking up on me._

_Faithfully yours,_

_Sam_

**_September 9_ **

_Dean,_

_My friends think I have a secret boyfriend. Because why else wouldn't I go on any dates?_

_It's really fucking hilarious on my good days, but a little miserable on the bad ones._

_Jess promised not to tell the real reason._

_I miss you._

_Love,_

_Sam_

**_January 24_ **

_Dean,_

_I haven't written in a while. Sometimes I don't know what to say._

_Maybe you're wondering why the fuck I wrote all these letters and never sent them._

_Fuck that, I'm not an idiot._

_You're going to get them all at once. I planned that since day one, in case you were wondering when you read that one._

_It's easier to write knowing it will be awhile before you read anything on these letters._

_I still haven't come outright and said it._

_Happy Birthday, Dean. I hope it's not bad._

_Yours,_

_Sam_

It made a little more sense now, and Dean was kind of a mess, but he was still happy. Sam hadn't forgotten about him while he was gone.

Those nonchalant phone calls in the beginning were just a fine example of Sam's acting skills, which Dean hadn't really noticed before.

And the gaping, painful silence after that fight was apparently just as hard for Sam as it was for Dean.

**_May 2_ **

_Dean,_

_If I was with you, we'd be at a bar taking shots._

_I know you, that's exactly what we'd be doing._

_Instead, I'm using my_ _real_ _ID at the bar on campus and not flashing a fake one._

_It's later now. They didn't notice, but it felt good to not lie about it for once._

_Jess was disappointed because I got shitfaced again and that guy was there and we went for round two in the backseat of a car that I can't remember, but it was comfortable and he had green eyes._  

 _I've come to the conclusion that the guy must not do this very often, and he was shitfaced too, but I topped this time and it was good._  

 _He didn't even flinch when I accidentally said your name._  

 _Actually, he looked fucking relieved._  

 _Then I realized I didn't even_ _know_ _his name._

_That car thing is bugging the crap out of me. It felt fucking familiar and I just…_

_Whatever._

_I miss you._

_Yours,_

_Sam_

Dean’s head spun. Now that he was thinking about it, he _had_ been in Palo Alto for two of Sam’s birthdays since he started school. He had gone and gotten drunk because he fucking missed him, and he remembered fucking _somebody_. He remembered a bathroom stall and the backseat of the Impala and-

Shit.

**_July 13_ **

_Dean,_

_It was you. To put it plainly._

_I figured it out after I had a dream about you, something stupid and minuscule._

_I know I was wasted and don't remember much, but I remember the wicked fucking knife I snitched out of your leather jacket when you weren't paying attention._

_Drunk me was trying to remind sober me that we fucked twice._

_I hate myself a little less because of this._

_Thank fucking god._  

_Yours,_

_Sammy._

**_August 2_ **

_Dean,_

_Every day I keep hoping you come through and steal me away, back to the hunt and the open road._

_I'm just itching to be out there again._

_I miss you._

_I find myself thinking about you more than I ever did, it’s throwing off my concentration._

_I wish you were here._

_Yours,_

_Sam._

**_September 18_ **

_Dean,_

_Something is coming. I can't put my finger on it, but I have this feeling, like my life is about to fucking change._

_I hope so._

_Have you talked to dad lately? I had a dream about him, hunting something big._

_I don't know…_

_Love,_

_Sam_

**_October 31_ **

_Dean,_

_You're here. It's the middle of the night and I acted like I was fucking normal and not damn happy to see you, because I'm an idiot, but this is what you expected, because you weren't even phased, and maybe I should have just kissed you instead._

_Jess said she expected me to._

_I told you I have to be back at school by Monday, so now we're on the road and you seem happy, at least a little, which is good, because if you were a little more attentive, you might've noticed that I can’t stop staring at you._

_Then you'd call me fucking weird, even if you don't really think so. Then it would've just been awkward._

_Yours,_

_Sam._

**_November 2_ **

_Dean,_

_It's Sunday night. We're back on campus, and I told you that you could stay the night because it was a long drive._

_What you don't know is that I plan on leaving with you in the morning._

_I don't want to stay here after having you back for a weekend, and I don't think I could, not with the date and my feelings._

_Look, Dean, I'm in love with you._

_I'm really fucking in love with you. That's why I left, why all of these letters have been written._

_Yours,_

_Sam._

**_January 24_ **

_Happy birthday Dean._

_If you made it this far, and I'm sure you did because you're a curious bastard, then I want you to know that I meant every word, that I heard what you told the waitress at the roadhouse, and that I'm lucky to have you._

_So, thanks, and I love you._

_Love,_

_Sam_

Dean piled the letters back together neatly, putting a rubber band around them so he didn't lose any, and headed inside the motel.

Sam was asleep or pretending to be, Dean wasn't sure, and he didn't care, he just silently slipped out of his jeans and slid into Sam’s bed, pulling his brother back into his chest.

He _was_ asleep, but he kind of came to when Dean had wrapped his arms around him. “Dean?” He mumbled, probably not even aware that he was talking.

“Shh. You're fine, Sammy. It's just me.”

The room was cold, so Dean cuddled Sam closer, slipping his knee between Sam's thighs.

X

Sam was warmer than he had anticipated when he woke up, and it took him a moment to conclude that he was warm because he wasn't by himself in the Queen sized bed, that his fingers were entwined with somebody else’s over his chest. 

It took a little longer to realize he was with Dean, that he wasn't at school anymore and this wasn't a random one night stand.

Yesterday was Dean’s birthday, and Dean hadn't come back from the car when Sam finally fell asleep.

He didn't remember when Dean came in, but he was here, and he was clinging to Sam like there was no other option.

His bed was not slept in, just mussed up from when he'd watched tv the night before.

He felt good, this was where he wanted to be.

And if Dean was here, after reading those letters, then things were absolutely okay.

“I don't share, Sammy.”

Dean’s voice was groggy, like he was still half asleep, but he wouldn't be having this conversation if he was, so Sam gave his hand a little squeeze.

“I mean it. If we do this, then you're stuck with me, forever. Nobody else.”

“I've never wanted anybody else, Dean,” Sam replied, his voice was barely more than a whisper.

When Dean spoke, his lips grazed the back of Sam’s neck, sending little tendrils of pleasure down his spine. “Can you tell me, Sammy?”

Sam let go of his hand, turning around in his arms to face Dean, who looked absolutely perfect in the early morning light. Dean’s eyes were on his thumb as it traced a pattern along Sam’s collarbone.

Sam wanted to stay in bed forever. “I love you, Dean. You're everything to me.”

On the word love, Dean’s gaze snapped up to meet Sam’s, and he pulled Sam into a kiss before he finished saying ‘me’.

“Thank you, Sammy,” he whispered against his little brother’s lips. Sam moved a little, brushing his lips along Dean’s jawline.

_fin_


End file.
